Healthy New York Knicks has Stephen A. Smith feeling confident in an underdog ECF appearance
It's already common knowledge at this point that ESPN's Stephen A. Smith is a huge New York Knicks fan, given that he grew up in the area. In an Eastern Conference that features an elite Boston Celtics team, he shared his confidence on ESPN's "First Take" of the Knicks making an underdog appearance at the Conference Finals as the biggest rival to Boston.
As of now, the New York Knicks are in fourth place (41-27) in the Eastern Conference standings, winner of six games out of their past 10 games. With the Celtics being one of the most dominant teams right from the jump this season, Smith argued that a healthy Knicks squad could make for an interesting matchup.
"If the New York Knicks get healthy, I believe they are the number one threat to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference," Smith said. "I think they're going to the Conference Finals."
However, Smith mentioned that the team needed to get their injury concerns in check first if it wants to challenge the Boston Celtics at the Eastern Conference finals.
Julius Randle (shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) continue to be sidelined as they continue to recover from their injuries. No definitive return timeline has been provided by the team's medical staff.
Additionally, OG Anunoby's elbow sustained soreness on Thursday night's 105-93 win against the Portland Trail Blazers and is expected to miss some time. He previously missed 18 games due to the injury and the surgery. Moreover, the New York Knicks are 15-2 when he's on the court.
What are the New York Knicks' odds to reach the Eastern Conference finals?
Looking through the playing field of the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks have the necessary pieces to back their case, from the superstars to the impressive regular-season record.
Be that as it may, there are still underdogs in the conference who have something to say about the odds being stacked against them, such as the New York Knicks.
So what are the Knicks' odds to reach the Eastern Conference finals? According to FanDuel, they have New York with the fourth-best odds at +1100 to make an appearance in the ECF.
Additionally, the Boston Celtics hold the best odds at -130, the Milwaukee Bucks come in second at +310 and the Cleveland Cavaliers at the third spot with +1000 odds.
As of now, the New York Knicks have the 14th-ranked offense (116.5) in the NBA but have strongly made up for it with a commanding defensive identity, rivaling the league's best. Their defensive prowess ranks seventh in the league (112.0).
Led by All-Star Jalen Brunson, the Knicks certainly have a shot at making things interesting in the postseason but it will take tremendous effort from everyone on the roster, especially requiring them to be at full strength.